Original in its tripartite form and exceptional in its age, the twinning agreement between Angers, Osnabrück (Germany) and Haarlem (Netherlands) was renewed on Monday May 27, sixty years after its initial signature in September 1964. A symbolic but meaningful renewal, organized during the Angers fête l'Europe event and a fortnight before the European elections, enabled the three mayors to reaffirm their desire to continue their cooperation in a wide range of fields: education, culture, solidarity, sport, science, the economy...

Witnessing the day-to-day reality of these exchanges, young people from Haarlem and their hosts, students from the Collège La Barre in Belle-Beille, were present in the Salle de la Ville.were present in the Charter Room of the Town Hall to witness the signing, as were many former ambassadors from the twin towns. Every year, each town welcomes young ambassadors sent by the two partner towns, with the task of facilitating and boosting exchanges, and organizing events to publicize their home towns. This scheme, set up in the late 60s, is another original feature of this tripartite twinning arrangement, to which the three mayors reiterated their attachment.

Jean-Marc Verchère, Mayor of Angers
"As in many towns in France, this twinning arrangement was set up in a post-war context, when bringing people together was a necessity, and the European spirit had to be built. From the outset, exchanges have been numerous and rich, and this has never changed. For us, as elected representatives, they have also been a means of sharing our experiences and practices, for the benefit of public action."

Katharina Pötter, Mayor of Osnabrück
"The renewal of our twinning, 60 years after it was signed, is an opportunity to look to the future and affirm the importance of our cooperation. This is all the more important today, when the European elections are taking place against a backdrop of growing scepticism. Towns and cities have a role to play in defending the European ideal, and twinning is a powerful lever in this respect.

Jos Wienen, Mayor of Haarlem
"All three of our towns have a long history, marked by a spirit of openness embodied by powerful figures, such as King René in Angers, or major events such as the signing of the Peace of Westphalia in Osnabrück. Twinning is part of this tradition. They go back a long way, but they still represent a perspective for the future, which is very important today and which we must defend."

Source: www.angers.fr/